Fuel-feeding apparatus.



J. H. PORTER.

FUEL FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION. FILED MAR. 20, 1am.

Patented June 8, 1915.

JOHN H. roman, or ATLANTA, enonem.

FUEL-FEEDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed March 20, 1913. Serial No. 755,899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. Pon'rnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton, State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Feeding Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the, invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains' to makeand use the-same.

This invention relates to fuel feeding apparatus and particularly to an apparatus for feeding pulverized coal to a furnace.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of an apparatus of the type named which will deliver an even flow of pulverizcd fuel to the furnace, and distribute same over a wide area within the furnace.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a fuel feeding apparatus which includes means for mingling a proper proportion of air with the pulverized coal as same is delivered to the furnace so as to secure an efiicient combustion.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure l is a vertical section of a fuel feeding apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and showing same operatively applied to a furnace; Fig. 2, a plan view of the apparatus partly in section; Fig. 3, a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4C, a section on the line il-+4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. (3 a detail perspective view showing the construction for adjusting the slide valve which controls the feed of the coal.

Referring to the drawings A indicates the front wall of a furnace which is provided with a fuel feed opening 10 all. of the usual and well known construction. Supported on the front wall A on each side of the opening 10 is a bracket 11 and supported upon the outer ends of these brackets 11 is a casing B having an open upper end 12 whereby fuel may be supplied to the in terior ofthe'casing in any desired marin The casing B is provided at its lower one with a lateral enlargement 13 of substantially semi-cylindrical shape and directed toward the wall A. Projecting from the lower end of the enlarged portion 13 an communicating with the interior of the cas-v ing. B is a horizontal chute 14. This chute isof tubular form and has its outer end disposed relatively near the opening 10 so that fuel discharging therefrom will be delivered to the interior of the furnace. Mounted in the outer end of the chute 14 is a plurality ofdistributing plates 15, the central plates 15 being disposed longitudinally of the chute while the outer ends of the remaining plates are directed outwardly toward the ELdJtICQIIl? side of the chute. By this construction it will be apparent that fuel discharged from the chute 11 will be distrib uted evenly and over a wide area by the plates 15.

Projecting from each end of the enlarged portion 13 of the casing are tubular wings 16, said wings being disposed in longitudinal alinement with each other and communicating withthe interior of the casing B.

vThe outer ends of the wings 16 are closed as at 17 and journaled in these closed ends of said wings is a shaft 18 which extends through the enlarged portion 13 of the easing and fixed on the shaft 18 within the enlarged portion 13 is a fan 19 the blades of which are strengthened by braces 20 con necting their free ends. The shaft 18 is connected at one end by a belt 21 with a suitable source of power, while the other end of said shaft 18 is connected by a belt 22 to a shaft 23 journaled in the casing B above the enlarged portion 13. Mounted on the shaft 23 within the casing B is a screw 24 which serves to constantly agitate the fuel which is fed to the casing B through the open upper end 12. Each of the wings 16 is provided in its upper side with an opening 25 controlled by a sliding door 26 whereby the interior of said wings may be placed in communication with the atmosphere to a greater or less extent.

The passage of fuel from the upper to the lower portion of the casin B is controlled by a slide valve 27 mova le through a slot 28 in the outer walls of the casing B. This valve 27 is provided on its upper side with a lug 29 through which is engaged a lead screw 30 the inner end of said direction the valve 27 will be moved inwardly of the casing B so as to diminish the flow of fuel from the upper-to the lower portion of the casing, while the reverse rotation of said screw will move the valve 27 outwardly of the casing so as to increase the flow of fuel from the upper to the lower portion of the casing.

In the operation of the apparatus fuel is delivered to the casing B through the open upper end 12 thereof. When it is desired to feed the fuel thus delivered to the casing to the furnace the rotation of the shaft 18 is instituted through the medium of the belt 21 and this rotation of the shaft 18 will in turn cause a rotation of the fan 19 and the shaft 23. As the screw 24 rotates with the shaft 23 the fuel will be constantly agitated and forced to the lower part of the casing where it will be acted upon by the fan 19 and blown through the chute 14:. As the fuel passes out of the chute 14 it will engage the plate 15 and be distributed thereby in an even manner and over a Wide area of the lire box. During the operation of the apparatus the doors 26 are opened sufficiently to allow a desired quantity of air to be drawn in by the fan 19. This air will mingle with the pulverized coal and pass with the latter into the furnace with the result that the combustion of the fuel is maintained at a maximum eflioiency.

What I claim is In a pulverulent feeding apparatus, a fuel supply, a casing communicating with said fuel supply, a discharge chute connected with and leading from the casing, corre sponding extensions on each side of the easing having their outer ends closed and their longitudinal walls provided with openings respectively, doors slidably adjustable on the extensions for varying the size of said openings a shaft journaled transversely of the casing and extending throu h said oxtensions, a fan fixed on said shaft for forcing fuel delivered from the supply through the chute, and means for rotating said fun. In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. PORTER.

l/Vitnesses:

MABEL BUCHA AN, J L. DE VARE. 

